Elevator



J. J. DOLAN Sept. 2, 1930.

ELEVA'I'OR F Filed Au 21, 1926 nununnnuu BUUUUUUUB UUUDUUUUUU UUUUUUUUUUDU Pate nted Sept. 2,

' This'invention relates t sectional'elevters in'g grain and the likel r o'ne f. the objects of thegiiveitiohjis. the e 5 provision of' new and improved fineans" for' connecting together the Sections ofan ele-4 v r r Another Object of the invent'ion is the .provision of'new'and improved'mens for `hrac.-

f ing and 'strengthening the' individual nits of a sectionjlelevatoi';

still further Object' of the -invjention is l thelprovision :of'a ew ndfhphovedelytor that is cheap to mnufactre, e`as11y"as- 15 sembledg light and 'gd in" construction;

, strong,"du`rab1e one that iscomposed of e a-m1i1`m'um number. of parts',

V Otherand fi'rther objects a nd advntages" of the i nventin Will appeai'. from the follow 20 ing desci'iption tak' 'n in eonneetion 'with the- 'accoinpanyingdfgwingsfinfwhieh r Fig. `1 is a pln View of 'portin"of' the improved' elevaton construetion f l Fig." 2'is a side :e'levtion'theref ;andt

25 Fig; 3 isen endelevationof one of the elevator units--showing the eo'nveyor chain in V V A spacedfrelation.,"The specer meinbers 24: and) 25 are fo'rmed'from Channel bars ;and haye' *theirjweb portions 1' igid1y 'c0nnected'to said ,tfunk ;and pan menbefs'f respectivelyf-s byl b'olts'or rivets,` es c'learlyfshoivn in* Fig.`;`2.

Se ;i i .e V' t In the 'form of the deviceseleoted to'illustrateone embodiment of the inventiointhe refei ence fcheracter 10 *desigiates "generally an elevator Whch comprses one, 'o more units 11. These units are Similar in constructi-on' andonly one need he"deserbedf The-ele 315 byadding additional iinitsgtheretog :In eleyators' 'of thisf'geneml description,

- itis COminOn praetiee tomakethn'i of seetions oi? Units but gx eat diflicultyhzis 'hereto fre'heenexperienced in attenpts to design', anjelevatoi" that will be sufiieiently' 'ri'gid to prove satisfaetory' and' atithe same time' 'he e durble', and'one*thatmayhe nannfeet iredf. at freasonable cost-?The present inventioii'- r V contempltesge sectioneljelevetoi'. in 'Whieh *As shown, 'each'seeton or elevator member 13 thru' `which the 'gran 5 is elevated ancf a return of an *member 14 togeth r;

V atormay be extended to';thedesifed length A n v r Suitebie tension membersere employed fon ea'hsection is simple cons'tructi'on, and;

When* thesections are, assembled *thestruc- F V thefianges 27-of theichannehmeniber 25' et* a point Slightly above the bottom portion of the trunk membergl3 a nd ftheir 'lowerends v se'curedfto the inner flang'es of'thechanel j' con' rise-s :i tr unk for braigend -sttengthening the st ctnre l v V. and for returnng the corn accdentallyf 1 ,I shelled 'from thecobs or ears, as is. nsieljin'j such constriuctions. U v The 'tr'unk member 13 is :pi'ovicle'd yvith a Preferablythe elevatof or] trunk ineinber 'isl 'The pan member is lkeivise of Sheet mtal e n'ade of sheetinetalhentto U-shpe`i'n'c -oss *e v. section.) l ;w

bent or'stamped to U-formand compris es af bott-o m wall`2lfand side walls22 and 23. n

'The trunk *and "pan members are hfel'd in? 4 4 spaced par'allel relation by aplurality'ofspee-f er nt'e mhers.` Any suitable number. of these l 'spacer members may be employed for: each unit section; F As shownfa'spaeer memberj 2et is provided at-eaehend ofegtch section and'a f Similar sp cer membei' 25isierranged' ;idja

.cent tothe centi'alportionof the uiit." Suitbie means are 'provided foijbmeing each section, and for' "Connecting the' Sections pac memb rwe nd %a e v so'constr'uctedand arrangedethetthey materially assistin braciigthe Sections as 'weng as' i etaining the, trunkandpan members* in The flanges26 and 27 of the-channel bars* 24 forningal rigid trussfor each elevator un'itg;

AS shown; Sr i L are ad'justably con nected tothe 'inner fl'ztnges 26 .of th'e'chan e ;bars 24 at each j end 'of the v iini't 'adi afeent to ;the 'upper ends of 'Saidjhannel and` have their lower" ends adjnstably-securedto the) i flanges 27 of the channel bei' 25 adjcent to' the top edge :of the pan' memb r 14.' "asL ditional pair of tension members, ;is the rods afe adju'stably seeured at their upper 'ends to;

"portion of ,the pan member 14:. '29 and the rods 280 and 31 cross' each other r 7 L The'rods 28, 280, 29

;cient ast-russ rods if connected to the top of member 24 at 'points adjacent to 'the lower The rods 28,

andwhen the parts are assembled they` censtitute hat* might be termed a rigid truss member or unit.

the elevator. atvone'oftheir ends and to the 'lower portion thereof at -their lower ends, but

this arrangement is objectionable, because When the rodstare tensioned theytend to consistent'with proper trussing function is spreadthesidesof the 'trunk member apa-rt'.

The bottom of the trunk'member Will preventthe sidesfrom spreading so* that bv at-` taching the rods to:the trunk sid es below the top edge the'mmmum'amount of spreadmg accomplished. In 'order to further strengthen the-construction, the .upper edges ol' the j trunkmember 13 ,are bent outWa-rdly and then downwardly to form i a reinforcing rectangug'lar bead 32Qa'nd 'the upper edges 'of the pan member 14 are bentinwardly and downwardly to" formsimilar renforcmg .beads 40. 'lt

has beenfounld by experimen that a rectan-` gular bead Will' ofier a greater resistance to a bending'strain than one in ivhich the material is *curved These beads v or: reintorcing fianges strengthen thetrunk or elevator member and the pan or returnjm'ember both laterally andvertically;

The channel `members 24 are, attached; to

the' ends of the unitsectionswith the outer ,fiahe flushhtherewith, and "When it is des red to connectone'unt toanother theadjacent fianges of the channel. members 24 W l! additionalb-olt 34is also' provided forletend are connectedtogether as by bol'ts 33, s An ing thru all theflanges of the channels memb'ers at'then' upper ends. tuitable spacmg members or sleeves' 35arc inserted between v the flanges to hold the same in spaced relastrips Withthe platesin close' proximitytd tion. Connecting strips 36 and 37 are adapted'to `connect 'the en-dsrof the units together at 'their bottom portions as c'learly shown in A conventional elevator member comprising'the endless chains 38 and dragplatcsf isemployed for elevating the grain-in ?the .usual manner. 5 shown more or less diagrammatically in FigL The chain and plates are 0 In order reduce the Wearfon the drag ,plates 39 and chains ,38 oode'n strps tl are,

secured in the corners of 'the` trnnk member and extend longitudinally thereof. The

chains-and 'plates Will besupported by these the 'bottom Wallof `the trunk member.

.One ormoreoftheelevator units may be perforated as shown at 42 to form'grates thru `\vhich theshellcorn, silks andthe like may 'drop into the pan memberand be gathered in baskets or'receptacles at the bottom ,of said v pan member. 'Usually'it is only necessaryto and 31 are most ethprovide the lower unit With these grates. A cover is provided for covering the grates When the clevice is used for elevating small grain.

It is thought from the foregoing taken in connection With the accompanying drawings that the construction and operation of my device Will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and that various changes in size, shape, proportion and details of construction may be made .Without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1,111 a grain elevator, a sheet metal elevator member, asheet metal pan member, channel bars Connecting said members,-said channel bars having, their Web portions connected to said members, and flangesextending outwardly theretrom, and tensijon rods eX- tending diagonally across the sides of said clevator and ,adjustably connected at their ends to the flanges of said channel bars., l 2. In combmaton, a pluralty ofelevator unts each unit compris ng a trunk member,

a pan member beneath said trunk member, a-

channel bar at each side of each nnit at each end thereof, said bars having flanges extending at right angles' to the sides of said members, certain of said flanges being flush with the ends of said members, means for .connecting the fianges of adjacent channel bars together for forming a continuous elevator from said units, and tension rods connected to the other fianges of said bars;

3. In combination, a plurality ofelevator units, each unit comprsng a trunk memben U-shape in cross-section,areinforcing bar se- -cured ,to each side of each unit at each'end` V thereof 'and .having a laterally extending flange thereon, and means for connectingthe flanges at one end of oneunit to the fianges at the adjacent end of another unit for holding said units in alinement, and means for Connecting each of said flanges to. an intermediateportion of the unit to which itis attached ,for reinforcing said flange an-dfor bracingsaid unit, i

4. An elevator unitcomprising a Sheet:

metal trunk member having bottom and side Walls, the upper edges of said side walls being bent outwardly and then downwardly to form a reinforcing flange at each side of said trunk member, a pan member below said trunk member and in spaced relation thereto, said pan member having bottom and side walls, the top' of said side Walls being bent laterally and then downwardly, channelbars for; securingsaid members in spaced relation, said bars being arranged at the ends` and 'intermediatethe ends of said members at 'each sidethereof, truss rods arranged at an angle to the axs of sa d unt and seen-red to the flanges of said bars, the outer fianges'of said bars at the ends of said unit being substantia-lly flush therewith and havingopen ings thereinfor 'receiving fastening bolts to' connect one unitto another,

5. In combination, a plurality ofelevator units, each unit'com'prising a trunk member,

a pan member beneath said trunk member, a

plurality of channel bars for securing said' members in spaced relation, certain of said channel bars being on the adjaoent ends of said units at each side thereof and having abutting flanges, truss rods attached to flanges of said channel' bars, bolts for' detachably, Connecting said abutting flanges, bolts extendr ing through all the flanges of the upper ends w of said bars at the meeting ends of said units,

tionj of said members and provided flanges eXtending atfsubstantially right an- .gles to the sides of said members, means for rigidly Connecting said flanges at the ends of adjacent unts for Connecting said units toadjustably connected to fianges and to 'the flanges at one end of said unit andfor bracing said unit l r v In testimony whereof I'afiix my signature.

and spacers on said *bolts between thefianges of each bar: r

k 6. In a grain elevator, member having side walls and a bottom wall a sheet inetal trunk r V provided with perfor'ations, a pan member be: I neath said trunk member, spacer elements for e holding said V spacer members having outwardly eXtending flanges, and truss rods .adjustably secured to said flanges.

7. In a gran elevator, a plurality .of elevator un'its each' comprising a trunk member J formed from Sheet metal and having bottom walls being bent outwardly at right angles and then downwardly to form strengthening ribs, a pan member beneath each trunk member and coextensive in length therewith, spacers for holding said members in spaced 'rela-` members in spaced relation, said.

'and side walls, the upper edges of said side tion, said spacers being provided with flanges, i truss members secured to said,`flanges,'the

spacers at the meeting ends of said unitshaving abutting fianges, means forsecuring said flanges together, and -strps for Connecting the adj acent ends of the bottom walls of said units. a

8.-In a grain elevator, a Sheet metal elej r 'vator member U-shape in cross-section and having its upper edges bent laterally at right i angles to theside portions of said-member and then downwardly parallel with said side portions, a pan memberU-shape in cross-secv havf' .tion beneath said elevator member and ing its side edges bent laterally inwardly sub-i stantially at right angles to said side members V and then downwardly parallel therewith and;

spaced therefrom, spaeing elements extending transversely of sad members and secured t-hereto, said elements having jflanges extending laterallyvat substantially right angles to said members, and reinforcing rods extendingv di'agonally along the sides of said members and adjustably connected to said fianges.

9. In combination, a plurality of elevator units, each unit comprising a *Sheet metal trunk member having bottom and side walls, 'and a pan member U-shape in'cross-section beneath said trunk member, bars for connecting said members together and for holding them in spaced relation, said bars being loe cated at the ends and at an intermediate porgether, and means' including reinforoing rods 'd ,said 'last-named- A ofcertain of'the intermediate bars 'for *reinforcing 'the fianges' p 

